Pyrenees

Spring:

With the melting of the ice and the increase of the temperatures, spring revives the Pyrenees mountains like no other time of the year. Many of the birds that due to the cold and the snow are living the winter at lower altitudes and at the bottom of the valleys, during the spring they fly up the mountains to breed, like the Citrill finch (Carduelis citrinella) and the Red Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra), which are very abundant in the black pine forests. It is also the best time of the year to see the Rock Bunting (Emberiza cia) in the midst of the mountains, theÂ Alpine Crough (Pyrrhocorax graculus) at the peacks, or the Lammergeier (Gypaetus barbatus) flying over the territory looking for food. Also, during the spring all the species come from the south to breed at the Pyrenees, like the Egiptyan Vulture (Neophron percnopterus), the Short-toed Eagle (Circaetus gallicus), the Red-backed shrike (Lanius collurio), the Yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella), the Common Rock Thrush (Monticola saxatilis) or the European Nightjar (Caprimulgus europaeus).

Summer:

Summer is the best time to see the birds that are nesting at high altitudes, for example the Rock Ptarmigan (Lagopus muta), the Grey Partridge (Perdix perdix), the Alpine Accentor (Prunella collaris), the Wallcreeper(Tichodroma muraria) and the White-winged Snowfinch (Montifringilla nivalis). When the snow melts, the posibilities increase to acces the natural enviroment were thise birds breed. During Summer many species have already bread so we will find a big varietyof young birds, this is why that is a great moment to look for theÂ Black Woodpecker (Dryocopus martius) or the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker(Dendrocopos minor). At the forestal areas that are more mature we can also find the rare Boreal Owl (Aegolius funereus), wich is very hard to find in the Pyrenees.

Autum:

During Autum, many species little by little begin to go back to lower altitudes and some of them start migrating again southward to spend the winter, for example the European Honey Buzzard (Pernis apivorus) or the Black Kite (Milvus migrans) and the Red Kite (Milvus milvus). In the forestal areas we will begin to see the first groups of wintering birds like the European Crested Tit (Lophophanes cristatus), the Goldcrest (Regulus regulus), the Firecrest (Regulus ignicapillus) and the Short-toed Treecreeper (Certhia brachydactyla). In the river area, two common birds are the Dipper (Cinclus cinclus) and the Grey Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea), wich are very common in the whole ofÂ Pyrenees.

Winter:

Winter is the time of the year with the hardest climate. The intense cold and the snow allow only the most adapted species to this harsh climate condicions to live in high mountains habitats. It is during this season when it is easiest to see the largest flocks of White-winged Snowfinch (Montifringilla nivalis) in the alpin meadows covered with snow. It is also the best time of the year to see the Lammergeier (Gypaetus barbatus) in the cliffs, as well as the Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) which has the hard job of covering very large areas in order to find something to eat. In the middle of the mountain winters Hen Harrier (Circus cyaneus). The caducifolis woodlands are the Hawfinch (Coccothraustes coccothraustes) favourite place to live, this bird is only present during the winter time.